Testing had become an important part to fight this global pandemic. Along with the standard RT-PCR tests, there are various alternatives being developed for rapid testing of COVID-19. In this article, we are going to look at the Rapid Antigen test for COVID-19.
What is Antigen?
An antigen is a substance that stimulates the immune system to produce antibodies against it. This means your immune system does not recognize the substance and is trying to fight it off.
How Rapid Antigen test for COVID-19 Works?
The healthcare worker takes Nasal Swab with the help of a sterile swab.
They put the swab in the extraction buffer. It will break viral cells due to an acidic environment.
They put 3 drops of the extracted specimen into the well of the test device. The test device has 3 components:
Matrix: Made up of Nitrocellulose Membrane. It is a Matrix used for protein blotting because of its high protein binding affinity and the ability to immobilize protein, glycoproteins, or nucleic acid.
C (Control Line): Mouse Monoclonal Anti – Chicken IgY Antibody is coated on the ‘C’ Control line. (Monoclonal Anti-Chicken IgY (IgG) (mouse IgG1 isotype) is derived from the hybridoma produced by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells and splenocytes from an immunized mouse. Purified Chicken IgY (IgG) was used as the immunogen.)
(Monoclonal antibody is produced by cloning a unique white blood cell)
T (Test Line): Mouse Monoclonal Anti SARS-COV-2 antibody is coated on the test line region. Which helps in the detection of Antibody in the sample.
The complex migrated on the membrane via capillary action until the test line, where it will be captured by Mouse Monoclonal Anti SARS-COV-2 antibody. A colored test line would be visible in the result without if SARS-CoV-2 antigen present in the specimen. If SARS-CoV-2 antigen is not present in the specimen then no color in the test line appears.
The control line is used for procedural control, and should always appear if the test performed properly and the test regents of the control line are working.
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